The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-12-29
BUSINESS ACIIVIIY.
The Industrial Outlook as Defined by
Dun,S Agency.

Dun's Agency.
NEW YORK, Dec. 23.-R. G.. Dun u
Co. in their weekly review of trade, say
business throughout the country is &C
tive for the season, and though col
credits are strained the reports are gem
orally fairly satisfactory. But uncer-
tainty and hesitation affect the inn
pOrtant branches of production, and
the industrial outlook does not i'm
prove. Currency is generally in good
supply, even where payments are
sloWest and credits most strained.
Speculation has been less active
and the general level of process,
though higher than week ago,
in most speculative markets has, on
the whole, declined little. Since July
1st, the average of prices in speculative
markets has advanced 15.6 per cent.
with the tendency still upward, while
the average advance in all other prices
has been SIS per cent, with the latter
tendency downward. The facts indl
cate activity in trading rather than
satisfactory relations OF supply and
demand.
The iron trade is unsettled with
sales of several thousand tons of Birm-
ingham pig here, while at Philadelphia
offers at 81 below the market are
noted. Sales of 10000 tons of steel
rails have been made during the week,
and generally at times netting between
$31 and S32. Bar iron is weaker, and
the tendency to shrlnkage in the de-
mand appears not only in crude, but in
many manufactured forms of iron and
steel.
Wool is not active and prices range
10 to Is per cent. below those of May
| last, Notwithstanding the decrease III
imports, and in home production
which shows a curtailment of the man
ufacture.
Cottons are firm at the recent adj
vances, and in good demand for the
season, print cloth having this week
risen to 3 1-2 bid. But continued large
supplies caused raw cotton to re-
cede an Is.
| The boot and shoe business is doing
well, and is is noted that purchasers
are already hurrying up their orders
while the leather trade improves
slightly, if at all.
The Lehigh coal strike continues
and the consequent financial strain is
in some quarters severe. In some the
men have already struck, and severa
manufacturing establishments have
closed for the present, and they are, a
this season, likely to continue CLOSED
longer than usual, if the markets d'
not change.
On the other hand, the distribution
of groceries is noticed in all sections a
unusually large, and the trade in hoH
day goods in both cases are large ant
unusually early.
| At st. Paul, Detroit and some othe
points the weather is noticed as caus
ing dizziness in some branches of busi
ness, and at few other points, active
ly continues, though the wholesal
business exhibits some shrinkage. Blu
the general volume of trade shown i
bank clearings outside of this city
even now fully as large as last year
at this period.
Notwithstanding the expected Read
ing strike, stocks have averaged
fraction higher than week ago, bu
the market has been exceedingl
dull.
Wheat has risen II cents, oil 81; cot
fee /, with better distribution, an
hogs J cent, and pork % cents pc
barrel.
Tin has been lifted cent and cope
is unchanged.
The sugar market shows no change
though the Louisiana crop is now re
ported fully 100,O 900 hogsheads large
than last year.
Exports of wheat shrink as price
advance. Up to December l. in Whea
and flour, 81, 200 600 bushels nave gOn
against Ga, 300, 900 to the same dat
last year, leaving an estimated surplu
of II, O0O, 900 bushels more than las
years reports for the remaining sevel
months.
1t is an encouraging fact that singu
larly little disturbance has yet appear
ed in regions where real estate specu
lation was active, and payments o
interest on mortgages do no
yet seem unusually delayed
even where crops have beef
short. A Chicago agency having $3.50,
coo interest due on mortgages January
1st had already received more thai
half the amount December 18th. l
is observed, too, that demands 70
money from the interior diminish a
Chicago, though that city is still draw
ing from New York, and the pressure
for money there does not abate.
The foreign trade shows small de
crease in imports, while the exports
from this city for the past three weeks
have been ga per cent below those O
the corresponding weeks last year.
The business features during thu
last seven days number for the United
States, 261, and Canada 20, total o.
300, compared with 288 last week, anC
263 for the corresponding week las
year.